Corn-husker.



R. F. CLARK CORN HUSKER.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 13, 1010.

Patented D00. 5, 1911. r

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0.. WASHINGTON. h. C.

RICHARD F. CLARK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CORN-HUSKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 13, 1910.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

Serial No. 571,815.

means for firmly securing the husker in position and to provide an improved hook construction which will readily open the husks without injuring the kernels and which will readily shed the husks .topermit the removal of the latter from the ear without clogging in the hook.

Further objects of the invention are to provide improved means forsecurely and adjustably fastening the hook to the metal plate of the husker and to-provide an improved construction of hereinafter set forth.

The invention consists in the features ofi improvement hereinafter described, illustrated in preferred form in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed 1 buckle e at the opposite end of thewrist out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved husker shown in position upon the users hand. Fig. 2 is a plan; view thereof. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the improved hook with parts shown in section on the line 44 of Fig. 6. Fig. 5 is an inverted plan view of the improved hook. Fig. 6 is a detail end view of the improved hook with parts shown in section on'the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

The improved. husker comprises a 'metal plate a which is curved or concave to fit the palm of the hand. The edge 1 of the plate, which is near the thumb when the husker is in use, is bent outwardly to a slight extent to fit over the ball of the thumb. The edge 2 of the plate is also bent outwardly, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3, and is provided with a series of teeth 3 for the purposes hereinafter described.

The plate is provided with a substantially U-shaped hook I) and with a linging or palm leather a which is secured to the plate at its corners by the rivets 4, 5, 6 and 7 The edges of the palm leather extend beyond the edges of the plate to effectivelyprotect the plate, as more fully.

users hand. The plate is secured in position by straps c and d and a wrist-band e of leather or other suitable flexible material. The inner end of the strap 0, in the preferred form of the invention, is bifurcated at its inner'end and is secured to the opposite corners at the lower side of the plate a by the rivets 5 and '7. The outer portion of the strap 0 is arranged between the lining a and the plate and the inner portion under the lining. The strap dis secured to the upper left hand corner of the plate above the lining a by the rivet 4, and, together with the strap 0, is adapted to extend across the back of the users hand, the ends of the straps beingconnected by any suitable form of adjustable fastener. In the'construction shown, .the' strap d is provided with a buckle d which is arranged to connect the same to the strap a in the usual manner.

.The wrist band 6 is secured to the side of the plate a under the lining a by the rivets 6 and 7. The portion of the bandupon one side of the plate comprises two straps e,

which are adapted to extend completely around the wrist of the user and through band.v The band thus extends twice around the'wearers wrist. The two straps e of the band are preferably and .economically formed by slitting the end portion of the band. A portion of the leather is cut out at the inner end of the slit to form arounded space 9 between the inner ends of the straps e" which receives the projecting wrist bone of theuser so that the straps will not bind thereon. A single buckle e is provided for both. straps. This buckleis of usual con,- struction, except thatit is of double width, is provided with two tongues 10 and its outer bar is provided with an inwardly projecting, divided prong 11.

The straps c and cl and wrist band 6 ,securely hold the husker in position and-atthe same time strengthen and support the users hand without interfering with its freedom of movement. To further insure against the displacement of the husker, a strap f extends from the opposite corners of the upper edge of the plate over the thumb, as shown, and said strap is dis )osed transversely of the hand straps an wrist band. Preferably, this strap is formed in piece with the palm leather a by extending the leather on this side of the plate and slitting it along a line substantially parallel to the top edge of the plate. This slit turns outwardly at one end as at 12, so that the strap or part f may fit over the outer portion of the base of the thumb without chafing. The straps 0 and d and the wrist band e securely hold the husking plate and hook against longitudinal movement, while the strap f securely holds it against lateral movement. The operators hand is supported and protected by the straps, wrist band and palm leather and at the same time the movement of the fingers is not interfered with.

In operation, the ear to be husked is held at its butt in the left hand of the operator, the husk is torn off at one side by the hook Z) of the husker upon the operators right hand, so that the operator may then grasp the ear within the husk in his right hand and then separate the husk and the ear. lVith the operators right hand in partly closed position to grasp the ear, the upper portion of the palm bears upon the outturned edge 2 and pushes against the plate and against the hook I) thereon which is used to tear away the husk. The wrist of the wearer is thus relieved, to a considerable extent, of the pull of the plate and hook when the latter is used to tear away the husk. The rounded teeth 3 upon the edge 2 also assist in removing the silk and the inner thin husks of the ear and also aid the operator in firmly gripping the ear.

In the present invention, the hook b, which consists of a shank portion 6 and a bill portion 5 the latter being disposed substantially parallel to the shank portion, is of improved form to effectively enter and tear away the husk and. at the same time, permit the ready shedding or disengagement of the husk therefrom, without catching or clogging. For these purposes, the upper edge 13 of the bill of the hook is straight or substantially parallel to the length or center line of the hook. while the lower edge 14 thereof is diagonally disposed and preferably curved as shown. For the same reason. the bend or neck 15 of the hook, which connects the shaft and bill portions 6 and b is diagonally disposedand outwardlv inclined away from the upper straight edge of the hook to the lower inclined edge, and the edges of the bend 15 and the lower edge 14 are outwardly flared. beveled, or rounded, as shown most clearly in Figs. 1 and 6 to permit the ready shedding of the husks from the hook. To strengthen the hook, it is provided at its bend with a central corrugation 16 which projects outwardly so that it will not interfere with the disengagement of the husks from the hook. By forming the bill portion 6 of the hook with the straight upper edge 13 and the diagonally-disposed lower edge 14:, the point of the hook is offset to one side of the center line of the hook. This facilitates penetration of the hook into the husks.

The hook is adj ustably secured in position upon the plate a by a screw 7). This screw extends through any one of a number of openings 17 in the plate a and engages a threaded opening 18 in the end of the shank Z2 of the hook. The portion of the shank b about the opening 18 is of concavo-convex form, the concave face being adjacent the plate a. This concaved portion 20 is preferably somewhat elliptical, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 5, and the inner face of the concaved portion is provided with a series of radiating corrugations or indentations 21 extending about the opening. Similar corrugations or indentations are provided in the plate a about the openings 17.

The head of the bolt 6 abuts against the inner face of the plate a and as the bolt engages the threaded opening of the hook shank b it draws a portion of the plate a int-o the concaved part of the shank to thereby firmly lock the plate and shank together and thus prevent any movement of the hook. The plate a is of somewhat lighter metal than the hook, so that it can be drawn into the concaved port-ion of the shank, as described. The elliptical form of the concaved portion of the shank and the indentations in the abutting faces of the shank and plate also assist in firmly securing the hook in desired adjusted position. A flap a (see Fig. 3) cut out of the palm leather a extends over the head of the screw 1; and prevents it from chafing the operators hand. This flap may be raised to afford access to the screw if the user desires to adjust the hook.

Vhile a husker for a right handed operator is shown and described, it will be understood that it is only necessary to reverse the parts to provide a husker for a left handed operator. It is also obvious that the details set forth may be varied without departure from the essentials of the invention as defined in the claims.

I claim as my invention 1. A corn husker comprising a metal plate, straps for securing the same to the hand of the user, and a hook comprising inner and outer portions and a diagonal connecting bend mounted on said plate, the outer portion of said hook having its upper edge substantially parallel to the center line of the hook and a diagonal lower edge inclined to the center line thereof, substantially as described.

2. A hook for corn huskers comprising inner and outer portions and a connecting bend, said outer portion having its upper edge substantially parallel to the center line of the hook and adiagonal outwardly flaring lower edge inclined to such center line, substantially as described.

3. A corn husker comprising a metal plate, straps for securing the same to the hand of the user and a hook on said plate,.the point and bend of the hook having outwardly fiar ing lower edges, substantially as described.

4. A hook for corn huskers comprising inner and outer portions and a connecting bend, said bend being diagonally disposed relatively to the center line of the hook and inclined outwardly from the upper to the lower side thereof, substantially as described.

5. A hook for corn huskers, the bend of the hook being diagonally disposed and inclined outwardly from the upper to the lower side of the hook, and having an outwardly flaring beveled lower edge, substantially as described.

6. A corn husker comprising a metal plate, straps for securing the same to the hand of the user and a hook on said plate having an outwardly inclined diagonal bend, the point of the hook having a straight upper edge and a diagonal curved lower edge and the point and bend of the hook having outwardly flaring, beveled edges, substantially as described.

7. A corn husker comprising a metal plate, straps connected to the plate for securing the same in position on the users hand, a hook having an upwardly concaved shank resting upon the surface of said plate, and a screw extending through said plate and the concaved portion of said shank and adapted to draw the body of the plate upwardly into said concaved portion, substantially as described.

8. A hook for corn huskers comprising a shank, a bill and a connecting bend, said shank having an upwardly deflected concavo-convex portion with a central threaded opening in said portion and a series of indentations in the concave face of said portion and about said opening, substantially as described.

9. A corn husker comprising a metal plate, a leather lining therefor secured to said plate, straps secured to the upper and lower edges of said plate for holding the same in position upon the users hand, said plate having a series of openings, an adjustable hook provided with a concave shank having a threaded opening, and a screw extending through one of the openings of said plate and engaging the threaded opening of said Shank, said screw being adapted to draw the body of the plate upwardly into the concaved portion of said shank, the abutting faces of said plate and said shank having radial indentations extending about said openings, substantially as described.

10. A corn husker comprising a curved metal plate adapted to fit in the palm of the users hand, a hook on said plate and means for securing the plate in position,:said plate having an out-turned edge adapted to bear against the outer portion of the palm and engage the ear of corn beyond the hook, substantially as described.

11. A corn husker comprising a curved metal plate adapted to fit in the palm oft-he users hand, a hook on said plate and'means for securing the plate in position, said plate having an out-turned edge adapted to bear against the outer portion of the palmand engage the ear of corn beyond the hook, said out-turned edge having a series of teeth, substantially as described.

12. A corn husker comprising a curved plate adapted to fit the palm of the hand, a hook on said plate, straps connected to the opposite sides of said plate and adapted to extend around the users hand and wrist, and a strap connected to the opposite upper corners of said plate and adapted to extend over the users thumb, said strap being disposed transversely of the hand and wrist straps, substantially as described.

13. A corn husker comprising a curved plate adapted to fit the palm of the hand, a hook on said plate, straps connected to opposite portions of said plate and adapted to extend over the back of the users hand, a wrist band connected to the inner edge of said plate, and a strap connected to the opposite upper corners of said plate and adapted to extend over the users thumb, said strap being disposed transversely of the hand straps and wrist band, substantially as described.

14. A corn husker comprising a curved plate adapted to fit the palm of the hand, a hook on said plate, securing straps connected to the corners of said plate and adapted to extend around the users hand, and a lining palm leather for said plate, said palm leather being extended at the upper side of the plate and provided with a slit to thereby form a strap for extending over the users thumb, substantially as described.

15. A corn husker comprising a curved plate adapted to fit the palm of the hand, a hook on said plate, a strap having a bifurcated inner end portion secured to the opposite corners at the lower edge of said plate, a companion strap secured to the upper outer corner of the plate, a wrist-band secured to the inner side edge thereof and a supplemental strap secured to the opposite corners at the upper edge of the plate and adapted to extend over the users thumb, said supplemental strap being disposed transversely of said straps and wrist-band,

substantially as describe '16. A corn husker comprising a curved plate adapted to fit the palm of the hand, a hook mounted on said plate, a strap having a bifurcated inner end portion secured to the opposite corners at one edge of said plate, a companion strap secured to the opposite edge thereof, and a Wrist band secured to the inner side edge of said plate, substantially as described.

17. A corn husker, comprising a palm plate, and a substantially U-shaped hook mounted upon said alni plate, the point of said hook being oflset to one side of the center line of the hook.

18. A corn husker, comprising a palm plate, and a hook mounted upon said palm plate and consisting of a shank portion engaging the palm plate, a bill portion disposed substantially parallel to said shank portion, and a neck connecting the shank and bill portions, one edge of said bill portion being straight, the opposite edge of the bill portion being disposed substantially diagonally to the center line of the hook, the point of said hook being offset to one side of the center line of the hook.

RICHARD F. CLARK.

Witnesses:

OTTILIE C. FREIBERG, KATHARINE GERLAoH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

